Roof shingles protect much of your house from water damage, but the joints on roofing systems often need some extra protection because it is easier for water to seep through small cracks in these areas. Flashing materials, which are usually made from sheet metal, seal these areas to prevent water from leaking into your house, where it could create costly damage.

New Roof Oregon — Roofing Areas That Need Flashing

Your roofing contractor in Portland, Oregon usually installs flashing materials in locations where two parts of your roof come together, a whole is cut or the roof meets a wall. When Oregon contractors install a new roof on a home, they should install flashing materials in the valleys, around skylights and other windows and around pipes that protrude from the roof.

The aforementioned areas are usually problematic for homeowners because they are disruptive spaces in the roof. Instead of one continuous piece of roofing material that can easily keep water out, they have holes and joints that could allow water to enter your home.

Roofing in Oregon — The Importance of Flashing for Your New Roof

Over time, small leaks can cause substantial damage to your home. That is why it is important to choose an expert at roofing in Portland, Oregon to install flashing materials that effectively seal every possible crack.

Laying cut steal plates across the joints creates a surface that is almost impossible for water to penetrate. If a Portland roofing contractor is installing a new roof system for your Oregon home, then it is important to make sure that they use flashing. If you have an older roof that needs repairs, then you should hire a roofing contractor in Oregon that understands the importance of installing flashing materials correctly.

Roofing Portland, Oregon — Find the Right Contractor to Install Flashing

There are many companies you can choose to handle roofing in Oregon. However, you want to be sure to hire a Portland Roofing contractor that can offer the best products and services for your home.

Many experienced contractors choose to cut their own flashing materials from sheet metal because it allows them to create custom seals for the roofs they repair. Pre-cut flashing is available, but customized sheets are often the best fit for the individual joints, valleys and holes of your new Oregon roof.

New Roof Oregon — Flashing Installation

When contractors install flashing, they will use caulking or roof cement to make sure the materials are tightly adhered to your Oregon roof. These materials should create the best seals.

Some people believe that flashing installation can be a DIY job. It’s true that you might be able to save money in the short term by doing the job yourself. However, any imperfections in the flashing installation could lead to much more costly roof repairs.

While flashing with pre-formed sheets may seem pretty straightforward, a professional Portland roofing contractor is the route to properly installed flashing. In addition, a professional Oregon roofing contractor will often provide a guarantee that protects you from high repair bills if the flashing installation proves ineffective.

Green roof systems, like extensive living roofs, can be a smart decision for both residential and commercial buildings in Portland OR. By learning a bit about what green roof systems can offer you and the environment, you might find that having one installed by a reliable roofing contractor in Portland is a good idea.

Environmental Advantages of Extensive Living Roofs

Many Portland residents are concerned about the environment, and the city is at the forefront of policy administration that favors clean energy and ways to reduce the harmful effects human civilization can have on nature. It should not be surprising, therefore, that several residential and commercial roofing contractors in Portland provide green roof systems.

Roofing contractors in Portland OR who offer green roofs install vegetation systems instead of metal, asphalt or other types of roofing. This creates a natural filtration system for water in Portland.

When it rains, the plants and soil used in extensive living roofs capture much of the pollution to prevent it from easily re-entering the water cycle. The vegetation also absorbs a significant portion of rainfall so the city’s sewer system does not have to process it all. This is important in areas like Portland that receive lots of precipitation.

Extensive Living Roofs — Advantages for Property Owners

As if helping the environment is not enough, extensive living roof systems also offer financial advantages to property owners. The vegetation, dirt and sealants used for green roofing in Portland OR helps regulate the house or commercial building temperatures by providing an insulating barrier that keeps warm air in during the winter and cool air in during the summer.

If enough residential and commercial property owners in Portland decided to install extensive living roofs, everyone would see a reduction in air conditioning costs because the city’s temperature would actually decrease. The asphalt, concrete, metal and shingles that are so common in the city absorb heat, making Portland hotter. Covering Portland roofs with green roof systems would help reduce that temperature, making air conditioning less necessary.

Extensive Living Roofs Are Easy to Maintain

Extensive living roof systems use grasses and plants that have shallow root systems and require little water. This makes upkeep a breeze. Since the roots are shallow, you will not have to worry about cutting the grass. Since they use little water, you don’t have to worry about droughts.

Roofing and roof repair in Portland has expanded beyond asphalt, clay tile and slate roofing. Homeowners now have a variety of alternatives for roofing in Portland OR, many of which enhance the beauty of the home and increase energy efficiency. Have a look at a few options your Portland roofing contractor can offer for your roof.

Alternative Roofing and Roof Repair Portland OR — Fiber Cement

Fiber cement is a mixture of wood fiber and cement. The tiles weigh much less than real cement or slate tiles and the wood fiber is often recycled. With Fiber Cement roofing materials, you can enhance the aesthetic quality of your home, reinforce the structure and appeal to the environment at the same time.

Alternative Roofing Portland OR — Living Roofs

A living roof, or green roof, is an eco-friendly structure in which the roof is covered in soil and vegetation. Living roof systems are an excellent choice for those who want to increase home insulation, help decrease the Urban Heat Island effect and add unique beauty to their homes.

Living roof systems can range from extensive to intensive. The former is the most basic type of living roof, while the latter allows homeowners to literally create a rooftop garden. Ask your roofing contractor in Portland which type of green roof system will work for your home.

Alternative Roofing and Roof Repair in Portland OR — Foam Roof

Another eco friendly alternative that also helps lower the Urban Heat Island effect is the foam roof. Foam roofs are waterproof and provide extraordinary insulation, which leads to better energy efficiency of the home. Foam roofs typically last over a decade, after which, you can have your Portland roofing contractor install another layer.

Alternative Roofing and Roof Repair in Portland OR — Imitation Slate

Imitation slate is an affordable alternative to real slate, which can cost several hundred dollars per square. Imitation slate also weighs less and is more versatile, suitable for various forms of roofing in Portland OR.

Alternative Roofing and Roof Repair in Portland OR — Flex Shake

Flex shake is a fairly new alternative roofing material, comprised of rubber shake made from recycled radial tires and steel belts. Flex shake roofing material is highly durable and provides solid protection against weather extremes in Portland.

The key with choosing the appropriate material for roofing in Portland OR is to highlight functionality. Contact a qualified roofing contractor in Oregon for a home inspection and expert advice on which type of roof will work best for your home.

The global effort toward going green has gained momentum in nearly all components of everyday life. From recycling and purchasing organic produce to composting and energy conservation techniques, more and more, the world shifts focus toward a greener, more environmentally friendly way of life. Enter, the living roof system.

A living roof is a green roof system that is either partly or entirely blanketed in soil and vegetation. The living roof usually includes a waterproofing casing atop a waterproofed foundation. It may include additional layers such as a root barrier and drainage and irrigation systems. Other names for a living roof system are vegetated roofs, green roofs and eco-roofs.

As a Portland homeowner, you may have already heard about living roofs. Portland is a city known for interest in environmental issues and green technology.

If you’re looking for a way to do your part the environment, add some aesthetic quality to the appearance of your Portland home and save on roof repair, heating and air conditioning bills, a living roof system may be the right choice for you. Read on to learn more about living roofs, including their history and function, the different types of green roofs and the numerous benefits of green roof systems.

Green Roofing Portland OR — An Overview of Living Roof Systems

Contrary to what some might think, a living roof structure is not merely some wacky new wave venture pioneered by environmental extremists. In fact, the living roof can be traced back to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Scandinavian countries have been insulating their homes with sod for centuries. Additionally, many early North American settlements used green roofs as part of their housing structures.

In the 1960s, Germany initiated the resurgence of living roofs, which has since propelled a global interest in the modern green roof technology systems of today.

Several Asian and European countries have followed suit, including Japan, Italy, Hungary, Sweden, the UK, Austria and the Netherlands. Over the years, many homes and commercial businesses in the United States have adopted living roof technology, with cities including Atlanta, Chicago, New York and Portland leading the charge.

Living Roofs for Portland Homeowners — The Modular Green Roof

A qualified green roofing contractor in Portland will install a modular green roof system, which represents modern roofing technology and has made the living roof more accessible to businesses and homeowners.

A modular green roof is a layered structure that sits atop the roof deck. It includes vegetation panels, a drainage layer, a root barrier and a waterproofing membrane. Modular green roof systems can be built on a flat or sloped surface.

A green roofing contractor in Portland can customize and install different types of eco-roofs that range from extensive and intensive.

Extensive living roofs are the most basic modular green roof system. Green roofing consultants in Oregon will likely install a layer of sedums that have shallow roots and are able to withstand draught. In this case, green roofs are only a few inches deep and the vegetation is low maintenance.

Intensive roofs are deeper, more intricate structures that homeowners can literally turn into a garden. If your roofing contractor in Portland installs an intensive roof, you will need to commit to regular maintenance including watering, gardening and even mowing.

Green Roofing for Your Portland OR Home — Environmental Benefits

The environmental advantages of a living roof installation for your Portland OR home are seemingly endless. Qualified green roofing consultants in Oregon can provide detailed information about the eco-friendly gains to installing living roof systems in the Portland area.

In general, green roofs help reduce pollution due to the levels of oxygen emitted by plants. Living roofs also help manage storm water runoff. A substantial portion of Portland rainwater, approximately 27 percent, can be absorbed by the vegetation of a green roof. Pollutants stay in the soil while the rainwater eventually returns to the atmosphere through condensation.

Eco roofing in Portland OR can also help dispel what is known as the Urban Heat Island Effect. The Urban Heat Effect is a phenomenon that points to rising temperatures the city and climate change. Concrete, metal, asphalt and other conventional roofing materials conduct heat. The overwhelming presence of conventional roofing in Portland OR disrupts the energy balance in the metropolitan area. As a result, urban temperatures can rise to as much as 10 degrees warmer than surrounding rural areas. Through a green roofing installation for your Portland OR home, you can do your part for the global environment and the city at large.

Green roof systems help reduce the Urban Heat Island effect, which in turn reduces the cost of lowering greenhouse gas emissions and ground level ozone. Unlike conventional roofing materials, green roof systems absorb and decrease thermal air movement. Vegetation has a natural cooling effect. The plants absorb and temporarily retain roof heat, releasing it into the atmosphere as temperatures cool.

Another benefit to eco roofing in Portland OR is the natural environment created for insects, plants and animals. This goes a long way to help share the planet, especially in urban settings where natural habitats are limited. Green roofs can be of particular support to bee populations, which are currently facing threat in the U.S.

Living Roof Systems for Your Portland OR Home — Homeowner Advantages

Beyond the long list of environmental benefits through green roof systems are the many advantages for homeowners. A living roof can be a cost effective alternative to conventional roof structures.

Roofing consultants in Oregon can attest to the fact that vegetated roofs offer much better insulation. Better insulation reduces spending on heating and cooling the home. During warmer months, a green roof is anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees cooler than conventional roofs. In the winter, the roof helps trap heat so it stays warmer indoors.

Living roofs are more durable because they protect the roof membrane. In fact, a green roofing system for your Portland OR home can last up to twice as long as a traditional roof. The green roof provides a barrier, which reduces expansion and contraction associated with changing weather patterns.

Green roofs can also provide a solid sound barrier. Portland homeowners will appreciate the dissipation of city noises through the insulation provided by a living roof.

Look for Qualified Green Roofing Consultants in Oregon

Your roofing contractor in Portland should have expert knowledge and extensive experience in living roof installations. Professional green roofing consultants in Oregon can help you investigate your options and install a modular green roof system that works best for your home.